Abstract

The Call of the Wild is a masterpiece of the famous American novelist Jack London. It’s a story about a dog called Buck who finally returns to the wild and leads a free life after his unremitting struggles with humans, other animals and the nature in the harsh Northland. This paper explores the background for the creation of “Buck” and analyses the fighting spirit of Buck reflected in the novel. Buck’s story reflects the author’s hope that one can change his fate and seek freedom through fighting. It is also of significant implication for those in modern times who are still struggling for material or spiritual enjoyments.

Key words: Buck, wild, struggle, fighting spirit, freedom

摘   要

《野性的呼唤》是美国著名作家杰克•伦敦的著作，主要描述了一只叫巴克的狗，如何在环境恶劣的北方通过和人类、同类以及自然的不懈斗争，最终回归荒野，自由地生活。本论文探讨了”巴克”的创造背景，并分析了小说中巴克斗争精神的体现。巴克的故事折射了作者的期望，即人们可以通过斗争改变自己的命运并追寻自由。小说对现代社会中那些仍在苦苦追求物质或精神享受的人们来说，有着重要的启发意义。

关键词：巴克；野性；抗争；斗争精神；自由

1.    Introduction
     Jack London is a popular American novelist in the twentieth century. Born into a poor family in San Francisco, he has experienced the hardships of life since he was young. However, he makes his way up to the summit of the social hierarchy through hard work and strong willpower. All his experiences have enabled him to have a deep understanding of the miserable lives led by people from the lower social class. As a brave and honest artist, he has produced nearly 50 works in his 16 years’ literary creation, including 19 long novels. Many of his excellent works have embodied his rebellion against inequality, strong criticism of the social darkness and praise for willpower. According to Zhong Weihong, Philip S. Foner once pointed out that “His novels brought closer the relationship between creation and life, literature and society, which, to some extent, influenced the development of American literature”.
   Published in 1903, The Call of the Wild establishes London’s important status in American literature. It’s his most famous and widely read novel. The novel is mainly about the destiny of a dog called Buck, who is sold to the Frozen North from the warm South to be a sled-dog. Faced with the hostile living environment in the Northland, Buck doesn’t yield to adversity. Instead, he constantly fights with humans against their ill-treatment, challenges other dogs and wolves for leadership and struggles with nature for survival.